Most people think that inhaling a little bit of mist when they spray cleaning products won't really harm them, but the reality is that many chemicals are fat soluble and difficult to purge from the body. Over time these chemicals accumulate, and scientists and medical experts believe these toxins impact our bodies.

Children are the most vulnerable to the toxic effects of conventional cleaning products and other household chemicals.

Why? They're smaller than adults. Proportionately the same exposure or "dose" will be stronger for a child, pound for pound, than an adult.

Furthermore, children's organs are under-developed and cannot process and purge as well as adults can. Their immune systems are also not fully developed, and their skin is more tender than ours.

Finally, children explore their worlds with their hands and their mouths. They crawl and play on the floor and due to their height they are always closer to the floor than adults. Floors are the largest collector of chemical residues.

Pets, the elderly, those with immune system disorders and chronic illnesses are also more vulnerable to harmful toxins.

People are most often exposed to chemicals in the following ways:

Ingestion - the least likely mode of exposure. Most families keep cleaning products out of reach of children who have sense enough not to ingest them. But are you keeping all toxic chemicals out of reach? Are you sure your products aren't toxic?

Inhalation - a more likely mode of exposure. Small mist particles from your pump or aerosol sprayer can stay suspended in the air. These chemicals are often toxic.

Dermal Contact - the most likely mode of exposure, along with number vapor absorption. Chemical residues from cleaning products linger on surfaces and get trapped in the microscopic pores in every surface, even glass. The softer the skin, the greater the rate of absorption. Absorption through the skin usually goes unnoticed. Do you lean on the kitchen counter with your bare forearms? Does your infant crawl across the "clean" kitchen floor? Green clean products will ensure that these actions are not harmful to your health.

Vapor Absorption through the skin - another likely mode of exposure. Few know that vapors are absorbed through the skin. Again, the softer the skin, the greater the rate of absorption.

Make sure that your home gets a "green clean" to minimize the number of harmful toxins and chemicals in your environment. Green cleaning can help both you and your home stay clean, healthy, and safe.